Perseverance

Chapter Nineteen ~ April

September ~ 2022

I'm chugging back my ninth shot of the hour, standing on top of the table in the living room as a crowd hollers at me to keep going, all of them watching as the second guy falls down, surrendering and letting me take the crown.

It's the number one thing everyone should know. You don't, you can't, drink Becky Gordon into oblivion. I know my limits, and they are fucking high as anything.

Yet all these idiots think they can do it, challenging me and stepping up to the plate. The trick is, I can handle anything they throw at me: a mixture of spirits, a dash of hot sauce in it, a spritz of lube. It's college, anything goes. And everyone fucking does, vomiting all over the place while I stand tall, center stage, all of them cheering me on.

They don't know me. I don't know them. But I don't need to.

Standing down off the table after another girl falls, I laugh as a few of them clap me on the back, begging me to teach them how to do it. Fucking idiots... if you don't have it, that's it.

I notice a blonde guy in the corner, grinning at me like there's no tomorrow, raising his beer bottle to his lips, never letting his gaze stray away from mine. Alright, I see what's going on here.

Smirking, I make my way towards him, swaying my hips as slowly and subtly as possible, letting my eyes trail appreciatively from his feet to his head.

It takes no time at all, in five minutes we're in the bathroom and I jump up onto the counter, not giving him time to grab onto me and do it himself. Clutching at his face, I pull his lips to mine, smashing them together and rolling my tongue inside his mouth, dominating the kiss in every way possible.

I reach between us, wrenching his zipper open and tugging him free. He falls into my hand, hard and heavy, letting out a guttural moan as I tighten my grip on him. Spreading my legs, I move my lips down to his jawline, pulling him closer to me, and guiding him towards my wet and ready center.

I know what I want, and I'm in control.

***

I laugh before pulling my hand away from the blonde guy, denying him my number and stepping out of the party, my head held high. I'm back to fighting strength, like the rest of this year never happened, all of it erased and wiped clean.

I'm Becky Gordon, and no-one will ever keep me from jumping back up and surviving.

I skip down the steps, reaching into my bra for my phone, ready to text Sav and update her on the guy I managed to score tonight. I know it makes her day the way I describe every inch of them, her begging and squealing for me to stop always ending with the two of us laughing together.

"Becky!" I'm halfway down the street to my apartment block, the voice having my eyebrows furrowing, recognising them, yet absolutely certain that my brain is deceiving me. No fucking way. Why the hell would he be here?

I turn to see him resting against a car on the edge of the road, my mouth opening and closing with no words coming out.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

He pushes away from the car, stepping towards me, his hands shoved into his pockets.

"No, really. Is everything okay?" I press, completely bewildered by his presence.

Brett takes a deep breath as I cross my arms. "Ellis told me what happened."

"What?" I exclaim, eyes wide.